Cornwall man accused of killing adopted baby

CARDIFF: A court has heard claims a Cornwall man killed his baby daughter, just two weeks after formally adopting the tot.

Matthew Scully-Hicks from Delabole denies murdering 18-month-old old Elsie at the home he shared with his husband in Cardiff.

The 31-year-old is accused of causing “catastrophic head injuries”, following months of abuse.

The court heard that at about 6.20pm on 25th May, Wales Ambulance Service received a 999 call from Scully-Hicks reporting that Elsie was unresponsive.

Prosecutor Paul Lewis QC told the jury that paramedics went to the house and found Elsie was not breathing, with no sign of a heartbeat.

She received first aid from paramedics at the scene before being taken to the University Hospital of Wales, and died in the early hours of 29th May.

Mr Lewis said: “We allege that his (Scully-Hicks’) actions on the late afternoon/evening of 25th May were the tragic culmination of a course of violent conduct on his part towards a defenceless child – an infant that he should have loved and protected, but whom he instead assaulted, abused and ultimately murdered”.

Medical tests found Elsie had suffered bilateral subdural haemorrhages – bleeding on both sides of the brain.

Evidence of both recent and older bleeding on the brain was also discovered, with haemorrhages also found in front of both of Elsie’s eyes.

A post-mortem revealed Elsie had also suffered several broken ribs, a fractured left femur and a fractured skull.